Comments:
• I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I really loved hearing the women’s perspective and watching her exploration through the religion. I have already recommended this to many people. – Carrie
• I was initially concerned that it would be SO anti-Muslim, but she presented herself so well. I enjoyed reading about the emotional dilemma between her religious beliefs and her morality regarding the treatment of women. – Brandi
• I was fascinated by Hirsi Ali’s story. Even though I’m not sure I agree with everything she says, she definitely brings up a lot to think about – and discuss. – Kerry
• The first half of this book made me feel very overwhelmed by the realities of the world and religion. The second half made me feel like she had a very specific agenda and included only that which supports it. Past that, on a whole I liked it and have thought a lot about my own cultural experience since finishing it. – danica
• Though I did not finish it, I have enjoyed her story so far. I plan on finishing it this week. – Tami
• Ali’s plight was fascinating. Her journey from being a Muslim girl to an independent, free-thinking woman was inspiring. – Rachelle
• This was an eye-opening experience. Very graphic at times. – Melissa
• It was OK. Some parts were sad. – Sarah

Conclusion: Most really liked the book and we had a very good conversation once everyone settled down. We definitely recommended it to other book clubs.

4 of our members are pregnant, with 2 due in the next month, so we decided to take this picture before the new little members arrive!

Back in May, we gathered new elementary school appropriate books to donate to The Wonder of Reading. They were delivered early June and we have recently received a thank you letter from them expressing their appreciation.

The letter read as such:

June 11, 2007

Danica B
Babes With Brains Book Club

Dear Ms. B:

Thank you for putting faith in Los Angeles’s youngsters by requesting that your book club donate books to The Wonder of Reading. We truly appreciate your support and the contribution, which included one bag of new books and was presented by a Montague Charter Academy school member on June 5, 2007.

More than 1,200 elementary school students from Wonder of Reading schools work hard, with the help of their volunteer reading partners, to improve their reading each year. In recognition of their tremendous effort, The Wonder of Reading seeks to find resources, such as books you donated for schools in our 3R program. Many of the children participating in our program have no books of their own. In addition, most of the school-based parent centers at our schools have a tremendous need for books to read with their children. Without community support like yours, The Wonder of Reading would not be able to fulfill its purpose – to inspire in children the love of reading.

Thank you very much for bringing reading resources to the young students of the greater Los Angeles area.

Comments:
• Touching story at the end, but the first zoo pages made me want to barf. – Sarah
• I really enjoyed this book. It was at times sad, but I enjoyed the love story. It was the first book I finished in awhile, I am glad this is the one I finished. – Tami
• I loved reading this story! The characters were unique and striking. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the young man just starting his adult life and the old man, with his wry sense of humor, trying to hold on to himself in the face of an impeding death. – Melissa
• I really enjoyed this book. Such a unique story, looking at circus trains during the depression era. I also loved the first person of the old man, hearing his perspective on late life. – Carrie
• I really enjoyed the book. Nice transitions between the time periods. I thought it was a little rushed at the end. Very good. – Brandi
• It has been awhile since I have really liked a book. This renewed my enthusiasm in reading, I thought I was getting bored with everything. This kept me going. – danica

Conclusion: Everyone attending had finished the book. That says a lot these days! We all seemed to like it.

Comments:
• Was not as good as Wicked. – Sarah
• I felt that too many loose ends were left flapping in the wind. – Melissa
• I tried, that is about all I can say for myself. I didn’t like Wicked and if this was not a book club book, I would have never even started this it. I made it 140 pages in and was just not motivated to pick it up. -danica
• I liked it better than Wicked, but was not happy with the ending. Too many questions left unanswered. – Carrie
• Didn’t get to read it… – Steph
• Rather blah – Hard not to compare to Wicked and find this one lacking. Much of the storyline remained unfinished without enough substance for another in a series. – Marlo

Conclusion: This was by no means a success. We barely even spoke about it. Most didn’t finish it. We did have a good time though at California Pizza Kitchen and Borders, buying books to donate to The Wonder of Reading.

Comments:
• The book was too long. The main story was good but all the extra stuff sucked. – Sarah
• I enjoyed it. I could do without the “Blind Assassin” (aliens or whatever), but really liked the main story. – Carrie
• Couldn’t get through it. Tried to muscle through, but just couldn’t bear it. – Brandi
• Yawn. Like it OK, but prefer the “present day” story over the novel within the novel. – Marlo
• I tried and made it to page 300 but I just couldn’t get into it. – danica

Conclusion: Most didn’t read this one and those of us that did, most didn’t like it and didn’t even finish it.

Comments:
• Good book but the first part about the fair was slow – but after that, it was good – loved the contrast between the two plots. – Stacey
• I liked the tidbits about things from the fair. My favorite parts were about the “devil.” – Kerry
• It was OK. The stuff about the fair was way boring. They could have made it a really short book about a murderer. – Sarah
• I definitely got bored in many places. What kept me going was the serial killer parts of the story. I didn’t care as much about the trials and tribulations that went into the architecture of the fair. There were some interesting facts about what debuted and who worked on it though… Overall it was just OK. I made it through so there is that… – danica
• Got a bit long-winded about the fair, but found the part about Holmes interesting… I kept reading it although a few parts dragged. Decent read. – Brandi

Conclusion: Only about half of us actually read this one and it was received as just OK. Our conversation was pretty good and it interested even those that didn’t read the book. It was a jam packed meeting with a lot of personal announcements – almost half of our members are pregnant, throw in an engagement and some charitable giving and that pretty much sums up our March book club.

Comments:
• The author thought much more of this book than I did. – Kerry
• I only got through a few chapters. Too close to the movie (almost verbatim). I probably would have liked it if I hadn’t seen the movie first. – Carrie
• I really loved this movie, but I have not seen it in years however, I remembered more that I thought. I liked the book although I could not help but see how Palahniuk weaved the eventual plot twist throughout. I could not tell whether it was just more explicit in the book or if my knowledge clouded the story. When I saw the movie, I was totally surprised by it – if I read the book first, I don’t know if I would have been as surprised. – danica
• Liked it better than the first time through, but the second time I could see signals earlier in the book. – Stacey
• I thought the book was more predictable than the movie. – Sarah
• It was an easy read. Since I saw the movie, it was hard to read because I knew the ending. It was word for word to the movie. – Tami
• I liked the book because it was different than other books we’ve read. Short chapters, easy read. Also, I liked how it was written from a mentally disturbed person’s point of view. – Rachelle
• I enjoyed it. Saw the movie only days before reading the book, so I head Edward Norton;s voice reading all the lines. “I am Joe’s broken spleen.” – Brandi
• I enjoyed the book. It had been years since I had seen the movie. Such a dark story. Easy read. – Melissa

Conclusion: One thing is for sure, if your copy has a forward, afterword or acknowledgments, do not read them – he comes off as way too much of an egotist and it taints the book.

Comments:
• This was super cute although at times, I was a little bored. However, at the end, I must admit, I did cry. He has a very conversational style which worked well to tell a series of Marley mishap stories but it just did not read like a novel or a good memoir hence the boredom at times. – danica
• The book did not have so many funny dog stories. The book should have been called “Me, My Wife, Some Kids and Oh, Yeah, We Have a Dog”. – Sarah
• When I remembered that the author is a columnist, it explained why the chapters were so short and choppy. It seemed like he included things about his life because he was writing a book. Sometimes the dog-in-my-life theme was too loosely tied in. I appreciate that he and his family liked their dog, but at the end of the day I didn’t really care. – Kerry
• I could have done without the long descriptions of the breed’s qualities and it dragged out a bit at the end, but as a dog lover and owner of a “bad dog”, I empathized and cried at the end. – Brandi
• I couldn’t get through it. It was just not my thing. – Melissa
• Quick and easy read. Some cute stories. Reminded me of my old dog at times. I would only recommend this to a dog lover, specifically a Labrador lover. – Carrie
• Easy book to get through. Enjoyed most of it, but wanted to read more about the dog. Cried at the end! It’s a good read for animal lovers. – Rachelle
• Really enjoyed the stories about Marley and how he and his wife brought up their family with their dog. Very sad but expected ending. Very easy reading. – Tami

Conclusion: While a fun book for those who have and love dogs, it is definitely not the perfect book club book.

Because it was our 5th birthday, we decided to have gift exchange again and decorate Steph’s tree. It has been a great year with some new members, fun adventures, great books and wonderful conversation.

1 Loved It
3 Liked It
2 Neutral
3 Disliked It
Hated It

Comments:
• I thought the book was easy reading. I enjoyed it. It was fun and very predictable. – Tami
• I thought this book was great. It was fun and written differently. Quick easy book. – Sarah
• Quick was about the only thing good about it. Very generic. The “hate-him, hate-him, love-him” bit is tired. I thought the email thing would be more interesting than it was. – Brandi
• This was such fluff! Girl meets boy, girl hates boy, girl hates boy, girl hates boy and then all of a sudden they are in bed, the end. I am not unhappy that I read this one but it definitely did not enrich my life. What is a greater time suck, this or a video game? It would have been either one so I guess it really doesn’t matter in the end. – danica
• I almost hated it. I finished it but it never got better. I didn’t like the characters, the style, the story… it wasn’t fun or light – just ANNOYING. – Steph
• I haven’t finished it yet, but I’ve been entertained so far. Not a book I’d typically read, but a nice change. – Kerry
• A bit too fluffy from a girl who really likes marshmallows! There was some cuteness, but overall I was glad to have finished. The format had potential, but the story lacked depth. – Marlo
• Obviously too unrealistic. Quick read. Couldn’t relate to or enjoy the characters. Outcome is predictable by back cover. Just didn’t really enjoy it. – Carrie
• I liked the writing style. A fun, easy read. – Melissa

Conclusion: If you like the beach read genre, this book was cute although really formulaic.